Regulating how kids access the internet – including social media – must balance protection from harm with children’s rights to expression and information.
There are various methods for estimating or verifying an online user’s age, none of them foolproof. Importantly, is this the social media future we want?
The Australian government will test tools to shield kids from inappropriate material online. Even though there’s no one easy fix, these checks could help.
Sexual extortion occurs when an individual is coerced, deceived or pressured into having their sexual or nude photos or videos released online unless they provide money or additional sexual images.
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The tragic case of a 12-year-old boy who experienced sextortion highlights the importance of practical advice for parents on having conversations about sex, sextortion and healthy device habits.
Children’s webcams are a safety risk.
Peter Dazeley/The Image Bank via Getty Images
Sexual predators have found a new way to exploit children: taking control of their webcams to record them without their consent. Here’s how the attack works and how you can protect your kids.
Perpetrators often utilize the numerous social media, messaging apps, games and forums available online to initiate contact with potential victims.
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Nir Kshetri, University of North Carolina – Greensboro
School officials are becoming increasingly wary of TikTok amid concerns that the app poses a risk to student safety and privacy and makes the nation vulnerable to spies.
The risk of experiencing harm online is real, especially for children – but decades of research don’t support the alarmist tropes used in these conversations.
Children are at the heart of the battle between usefulness and security. Can we trust Big Tech to find solutions to making computers, and life online, safer for them?
Ryan, the star of YouTube channel Ryan ToysReview, shows off his own brand merchandise.
Ryan ToysReview/YouTube
As Amazon introduces a new smart-home device aimed at children, it’s important to know many internet-connected toys are not secure, putting kids’ security and privacy at risk.
It’s never too early – or too late – to start talking to your children about how to protect their data from people who might misuse it.
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When it comes to online spaces, children are usually taught about cyber safety and keeping information private, but curating a positive digital footprint could actually benefit them later in life.
Clips of Peppa Pig on YouTube aren’t always what you expect them to be.
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More than 300 hours of content are uploaded to YouTube every minute - and many children’s clips are unauthorised, sneaky or even disturbing. Being aware is the first step.
Associate Professor, Department of Security, Fire and Emergency Management, and Director of Center for Cybercrime Studies, John Jay College of Criminal Justice, City University of New York